Thoams Jefferson Education - Oliver DeMille

Is American education preparing the future leaders our nation needs, or merely struggling to teach basic literacy and job skills? Without leadership education, are we settling for an inadequate system that delivers educational, industrial, governmental and societal mediocrity? In A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century, Oliver DeMille presents a new educational vision based on proven methods that really work! Teachers, students, parents, educators, legislators, leaders and everyone who cares about America's future must read this compelling book.

This is one of the fundamental reads that really sets the ground work for “how” to start think and the power of self-education. We highly recommend this book as a quick read over the holidays and to either begin your journey or to provide key building blocks on your path to restore liberty.

Editors Review:
“Oliver DeMille voices the need for a generation of leaders to be thoughtfully trained in our homes today. This is a message that homeschoolers need to hear! I don't know when I've seen another book that communicates with such clarity, purpose and vision the powerful potential of homeschool. I find myself nodding my head and marking passages that sound like something I might have said--and DeMille says it so well. TJEd gives clarity and purpose to the decision to homeschool, and a template that can be applied by any family to achieve their goals. I refer to it often as a handbook to help me further my own studies, and highly recommend it to anyone interested in quality education. Parents, teachers, and students alike will be energized by this exciting book.” --Rebecca Kochenderfer, author of Homeschooling for Success: How Parents Can Create A Superior Education For Their Child

Find this and other books in our recommended reading list: Click here

New American Founders

The problem is we are no longer teaching, rising, and empowering leaders among us and the next generation. The day is coming when this nation will stand at a vital crossroads, and only statesmen of the caliber of Washington, Jefferson, and Adams will be able to take it in the right direction.

But not only do we need new American Founders and men and women of virtue but we need to know and utilize what the Founders knew in order to renew and perpetuate liberty. We need to prepare ourselves and the next generation in much the same ways these great men were forged to greatness; through classical education and self discovery.

These men and women were educated in a unique way, through a classical "liber"al arts education instilling the knowledge and skills necessary to remain "liber"ated. The Founding Fathers were a generation of "liber" - of men and women who could read, understand, and debate ideas and concepts. When we stopped using the founding method of education in the U.S., we stopped getting these kinds of results in significant numbers—and our liberties began to slip away. We stopped encouraging leaders and began a slippery slope of dependence.

We need to once again indulge in the same classics that inspired a generation of leaders. We need to provide in each of our intellects the foundation that created statesmen. We need to understand what and as they understood things to once again face the great challenges of this nation. Although it may appear simple; the answer is in methods and readings, and through classical education and self discovery. This will empower the next George Washington among us.

9/12 Project Day of Service

December 10th will be the Kentucky 9/12 Project day of service. We are requesting everyone to find a local charity in your area and do more something very special and even more rewarding; volunteer you time!!

On December 10th please consider giving some of your time to those that need our assistance and help. Contact your local food pantry, charity, or other groups; do it as a local 9/12 group or get a group from your church. Just take this day as your call to action and day of a random act of kindness.

In central Kentucky we have a very limited number of volunteers needed at God’s Pantry on Jaggie Fox Way in Lexington. Please register ASAP for this opportunity it will be a first come basis. God's pantry

Volunteers will work from noon – 3:00pm Saturday December 10th. We have space for just 11 volunteers. This is very important and please consider helping out and sign up ASAP.


Volunteerism is critical to development of self-governing leaders. "Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private virtue, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics." -John Adams. We need charity and there is some special that occurs when you get out and volunteer your time. Please be part of this 9/12 Project day of service and in central Kentucky help out at God’s Pantry from noon -3:00pm.

Happy Thanksgiving

The first federal Thanksgiving proclamation was issued by President George Washington in 1789. Why would he issue that proclamation? He explained:
It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.

As you celebrate Thanksgiving this year with your family and friends, take time to reflect on all the reasons you have to be truly thankful – take time to thank God and specifically recall to Him some of His many blessings on us. You might even outline your prayer to Him by the four items George Washington mentioned in America’s original federal Thanksgiving proclamation:

1.Acknowledge the providence of Almighty God;
2.Obey His will;
3.Be grateful for His benefits; and
4.Humbly implore His protection and favor.


Message from WallBuilders, we wish you and your family a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

Four Foundations of Freedom.

"Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics." -John Adams

Public virtue is one of what the American Founders called the Four Foundations of Freedom. The Four Foundations of Freedom are, in order of importance according to most of the Founders:

Private Virtue
Public Virtue
Widespread Education
Auxiliary Precautions

The Founders consistently taught that, in the absence of these foundations, no society can survive, or at least maintain its freedom.

Private virtue means being a person of integrity; being honest in your dealings with others, being faithful in your duties to your family, controlling your appetites, etc.

Public virtue means to voluntarily sacrifice personal benefit for the good of society. For example, George Washington served two terms as President even when, as he was accepting the post, he wrote that it "would be the greatest sacrifice of my personal feelings and wishes that ever I have been called upon to make."

Contrary to our modern conception of education, widespread education to the Founders didn't mean job training; it meant classical, liberal education designed to teach individuals how to think, not what to think (Raed “A Thomas Jefferson Education” by Oliver DeMille).

And finally, auxiliary precautions are a society's forms of government that ideally protect life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. Auxiliary precautions include Legitimate Foundation, Legitimate Authority, Legitimate Role, Separation of Powers, Checks, Balances, Federalism, Written Constitution, Enumerated Limited Powers, Periodic Elections, Electoral College, and Fractionalization.

Heritage and Marksmanship

Project Appleseed will be in Crittenden Kentucky over Thanksgiving weekend and we invite everyone that has not been through this program to attend. This is an absolute great organization and program so let’s make it a 9/12 day out with fellow patriots, heritage training, and marksmanship.

Range: Crittenden, KY. Lloyds WMA
Date: November 26 & 27 (Sat & Sun)
Address: 221 Gardenersville Road, Crittenden, KY




Event start at 8:30am Saturday. Online registration ends 24 hours before. If you miss it, you can still register at the door!

PRE-REGISTER
Pre-registration Fees (per person): $45 for one day or $70 for both days. Women: $5 for one day or $10 for both days. Under 21: $2.50 for one day or $5 for both days. Active Military, Reserve, and Guard w/ ID, Peace Officers (w/ ID), Disabled (w/ ID), Re-enactors in period dress, Elected officials (w/proof) shoot for free! Appleseed pre-registration does not include separate range fees which vary by location. (Recommend if it is your first time you come out like me and do the one day which will be the Saturday)

Project Appleseed is a nationwide program that teaches rifle marksmanship skills that have been passed down from generation to generation and reconnects Americans with the people and events of colonial America. Participants are taught skills that allow a Rifleman to be accurate out to 500 yards using a standard rifle with iron sights and surplus ammunition. This ability is traditionally known as mastering the “Rifleman's Quarter Mile” and is an American tradition that has been part of this nation from its very first days. So join us and hear some little-known Revolutionary War history, reaffirm your heritage, and make America a better place.

Heritage / Marksmanship
• The Debt We Owe to Our Forefathers / • Learn fundamentals and make quick progress.
• The Duty We Owe to Our Posterity / • Experienced Shooters - learn new techniques
• The Story of Our Nation’s Birth / • Experts – polish skills, become an RWVA Instructor in Training.
• The Lessons of April 19, 1775 / • Master the Rifleman's Quarter Mile


Rifles and ammunition are not supplied. Attendees are responsible for determining applicable firearms laws of the host state and for travel.

Sponsored by the Revolutionary War Veterans Association, a 501(c)(3) organization
Check at www.appleseedinfo.org for details.

God's Pantry Needs Your HELP

Kentucky 9/12 Project Thanks / Giving program “from your pantry to theirs”. We will be working with God’s Pantry and Clear Channel WLAP 630am in Lexington and doing a food drive to collect food on November 18th (3pm – 6pm) and Saturday November 19th (11am – 3pm). Bring non-perishable food items and donations to 2601 Nicholasville Road, Lexington, KY at the times designated. Our goal is to completely fill up a cargo van!!!!! If you can not make it out please consider making a donation on-line (learn more)..

About: God’s Pantry Food Bank
God’s Pantry Food Bank is an ecumenical, community-based, non-profit agency established to meet the needs of the hungry in central and eastern Kentucky. A network of over 220 social service agencies and churches screen and refer over 1,700 households each month to our network of 5 neighborhood food pantries for food assistance. With the current state of the economy we are seeing record increases in the demand for our services.

Recent service statistics has us distributing an average of 140,000 pounds of food, 70 tons, almost 4 tractor trailer loads a month through 5 locations. This is a combination of donated and purchased product. The recent increase in clients (800 households a month in 2007, over 1,700 households a month in 2011) due to the economy is making it a real challenge to keep the shelves stocked. Yet, we have not turned anyone away. We rely on food drives from individuals, churches, schools, businesses and civic organizations to provide the some of the food for this program.

The following lists food items that are always in demand. They have good shelf life and are easy to prepare for family meals.
Box Cereal (hot or cold)
Canned vegetables
Pasta
Peanut butter
Flour
Dry milk
Rice or potato product
Dry beans
Corn meal or mixes
Canned beans
Mac n cheese dinners
Canned Soup
Juice
Cooking oil
Canned fruit
Tomato products
Baby food

Having an ample supply of these staple items enables us to use donated money to purchase perishable items (eggs, meat, margarine, bread, fresh produce) for this program.

Message from the KY 9/12 project

To some you may begin to see slight changes in our website, messaging, and activities – to others you will welcome us back to the purpose and vision of the 9/12 Project. Since the inception of the 9/12 Project almost three years ago we have had a common mission. Though sometimes understated and unspoken this has never been about politics but about principles.

The 912 Project is a truly grassroots organization founded on a core set of principles and is one of the most inspiring movements in America today! What has always made us unique is we are not about changing what is happening today but providing the foundations to change tomorrow. The strongest message we should have is personal responsibility and our focus is unwavering to empower the New American Founders and Self-Governing leaders in marriages, families, churches, communities, and our government; through a renaissance of ideas and enlightenment.

It is our mission (no our duty): to provide a forum for individuals grounded in the 9 Principles and 12 Values, and to foster an environment to inspire and empower Self-Governing Leaders through the process of education, independence, sacrifice, with a firm reliance on Divine providence.

MUST REMEMBER WHO WE ARE: The founding fathers were not a tea party or political action committee but a preservation committee. For restoration and long lasting preservation of our republic citizen must be men and women of virtue and educate themselves and connect at local levels. It is our beliefs that as Americans prepare and read the classics and learn from the past they will recognize and practice the duties and responsibilities to be the statesmen of tomorrow.

YOU WILL BE THE KEY: Knowing personal responsibility is a more diametric opposite to socialism than even capitalism can claim, that level of responsibility is at the heart of KY 9/12. The new vision of leadership’s strength is from introspection, personal development, and empowerment. We believe and encourage that leaders of tomorrow may be achieved through self-education, self-reliance, and self-sacrifice.

You are not alone; we are here to empower and help forge the future Jefferson, Washington, Adams, or Madison that may be among us today. Today holds the beginnings of greatness – not only for you but the 9/12 Project. Things are changing and we must be able to rely on each other and more importantly rely on yourselves. It is our responsibility to help empower this and going forward you will begin to see a refined focus to our mission to help achieve this.

We look forward to our journey,
KY9/12 Project Directors


P.S. Take another look around our re-designed website. It has been updated to fit our rejuvenated purpose with comprehensive reading list, resources, and information on our core pillars of education, preparedness, and charity.

Education Is an End In Itself

by Fritz Hinrichs

“When we climb out of the broad stream that comprises the wisdom of the ages, it is very easy to lose our educational bearings, being blown to and fro be the winds of opinion. To be motivated to work, we need to instill in our children first godly character and then the conviction that their studies are indeed significant. Despite the mantras that are continually chanted around us, the motivation for pursuing an education does not come from looking at charts of the average salary levels of various degree recipients, or from following the educational atomism that reduces all educational accomplishment to a single GPA, or by explaining all labors as just steps in the great “ordu salutis” culminating in acceptance by that Ivy-league dream college. By putting before students these poor reasons for getting an education we are drumming into them the idea that education is a means and not an end. Until they understand that education is an end in itself, that indeed, the creation in which we dwell and the historical saga in which we take part are truly worthy of our interest and concentrated study, we will only see them labor with a slave’s reluctance.”


Find our recommended reading list and discover the “liber”ty in self-education.

Thanks / Giving Season

During Thanks / Giving season every year we ask you to make a small sacrifice for others that may be in need. During the month of November and December we would like you to open your hearts, arms, and pantries for your brothers and sisters in need. When our neighbors are struggling it is our job to provide charity when it’s needed, have compassion for each other, give a hand-up when we can, and most importantly, instill a little hope. This is the season of being thankful for what we have and giving back what we can.

This year we are doing what we call “from your pantry to theirs”. Many of our members have been practicing food storage and preparing their own homes and pantries. This is a fabulous virtue and one we will begin to encourage even more. We also need charity as well and we are asking you to take just a little back out of those pantries and food storage and donate it to a local food pantry or food bank this month to help those in your community.

The need is immediate and here is what you can do:

- We will be working with God’s Pantry and Clear Channel WLAP 630am in Lexington and doing a food drive to collect food on November 18th (3pm – 6pm) and Saturday November 19th (11am – 3pm). Bring non-perishable food items and donations to 2601 Nicholasville Road, Lexington, KY at the times designated. Our goal is to completely fill up a cargo van!!!!!

- Continue to bring few food items and cans from your personal storage or homes to the next local 9/12 meetup. Drop them off at the meeting and as a group share with a local food pantry or food bank in your area. (if your local group would like help finding a local food pantry or help coordinating please contact us at membership@ky912.com)

- Don’t wait for us; take the holiday season and opportunity to open your hearts and help out others. Give your time, food, or money to a local food pantry or homeless shelter or charity of your own choice. We will be doing a day of service on December 10th and recommend everyone find your way to serve locally.

- You can give to ky912 and during the month of November and December we will use ALL donations (and then some) and use 100% of them to support God’s Pantry and other food pantries around the state. Just donate any amount during the next 2 months and we will make sure it goes to feeding your neighbors and helping your communities. Donate

Please consider the next random act of kindness and be someone of public virtue and help out others and take some from your pantry and give to theirs.

Complete list of food Pantries around the state we will be supporting with your donations:

Danville – Harvesting Hope Food Pantry
464 South 4th Street, Danville
(859) 319-0263

Georgetown – AMEN House
Main Street, Georgetown
(502) 863-5305

Harrison County– Living Hope Assembly of God Food Pantry
120 S Walnut, Cynthiana
(859) 235-4673

Lexington – God’s Pantry Food Bank
1685 Jaggie Fox Way, Lexington
(859) 288-5330

Louisville – Dare to Care Food Bank
5803 Fern Valley Road, Louisville.
(502) 736-9494

Owensboro – Saint Vincent DePaul Society
609 East 4th Street, Owensboro
(270) 683-5641

Richmond – Grace Now of Madison County
110 South Collins Street, Richmond
(859) 626-8990 office

Versailles – Hope Ministries Food Pantry
(859) 421-1217

Cultivators of the Earth

By William DeMille

Thomas Jefferson was quite clear when he stated that the “cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country, and wedded to its liberty and interests, by the most lasting bonds. As long therefore, as they can find employment in this line, I would not convert them into mariners, artisans, or anything else.” I believe that Jefferson understood the link between human nature and human freedoms as much as anyone. This quote shows the principles which link these together. Vigor, independence, and virtue are Georgic elements which channel human nature into nationalism. Without the agricultural producers in a community other ventures of employment are not stable because of the lack of local food security. Many argue that the modern transportation of the last century has changed all this. I maintain that the ancient free worlds who lost their lands, often gave them up freely to those who were willing to work the soil. I see many parallelisms to our day. The big conglomerate farms which are buying up millions of American acres do not have to sell us the grains if they choose not to. This state of blind dependence is not a wise way to live our lives…

Forget the pitchforks and torches; we went and built a canon…

We are extremely excited about the completion of the 9/12 Project canon. This is a unique collection of books that will provide any reader the foundations of liberty and inspire New American founders. It is our strong beliefs that as Americans read the classics and learn from the past they will recognize and practice the duties and responsibilities to be the statesmen of tomorrow.

This list was very carefully crafted and consists of books that may be familiar, others that will appeal to your different interest, some that may challenge your thought, and everyone of them to encourage a progression of exploration and development.

The list will be separated in four sequential levels beginning with the nine foundational books that everyone should read to the advanced level that are more challenging and may have concepts that take deeper thought. Each separate list is manageable with a broad array of books that appeal to different readers. This is anything but overwhelming; in total there are only 50 classics and contemporary books so I am sure this is not a complete list, but it is put together as the comprehensive list that everyone should read.

One final note; this list was not put together on our own. We have been working with some of the nation’s top leaders in the liberty movement and academia. This list has even been endorsed by the faculty of Monticello College. In their statement “We believe that the reading of these books in the levels outlined is the most expeditious means available to the average adult of gaining an education regarding the protection of your fundamental rights as Americans.” I want to thank everyone who helped and hope you take this challenge and begin your journey reading some of these great classics and books.


- Download printable list


- See list on KY9/12 Amazon affiliate page and shop (proceeds go back to KY9/12 Project